MP raises city’s fractured politics in House of Commons

The fracturing of Birmingham’s politics and the city council’s uncertain future has been raised by a MP in the House of Commons.

Sir Andrew Mitchell, Tory MP for Royal Sutton Coldfield, urged the government earlier today to “be on red alert” over the situation in the Second City following last week’s dramatic local election results.

They saw voters firmly reject the two-party system and Labour lose control of the city council amid a wave of frustration among residents.

Brum’s politics now resemble a colourful patchwork of different parties and personalities, including Reform, the Greens, Labour, Conservative, independents, Liberal Democrats and Workers Party.

No party ended up with even half the numbers needed for a majority on the council.

Talks will take place in the coming days to see if a coalition can be formed to run the city – Lib Dems, Tories and Greens have set out their position but Reform has already accepted there is ‘no viable route’ for them to take control.

Speaking in the House of Commons after the King’s Speech today, Andrew Mitchell said the elections were “extremely successful” for the Tories when it came to Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield Town Council.

“That clean sweep […] was not echoed across the city of Birmingham where there are now six significant parties represented on the council, making governance even more difficult than it was before,” he said.

“I urge the Treasury bench, and in particular the Secretary of State for Environment and Local Government, be on red alert about what happens now in the city of Birmingham.

“They are, I think, going to need to give the commissioners far greater powers.

“There are vulnerable people, old and young, who depend upon Birmingham Council turning a page and becoming a more effective giver of good local governance.”

He went on to reference a Local Democracy Reporting Service interview with the Birmingham Tory leader Robert Alden, who said “we’ll try and work with people across the political spectrum” to deliver his party’s priorities.

“Birmingham has languished under a profoundly inadequate Labour administration,” Andrew Mitchell went on to argue. “It will now require a Herculean effort and goodwill to deliver the governance the people of Birmingham are entitled to receive.

“This will involve, I think, also devolving more power locally.”